Klipsch Oval Ear Tips: Better Sound Through a Better Fit

Dave Gans
March 25, 2015

Some of the greatest advancements in technology are made by simply taking a step back to see the obvious.

Early in our headphone research, we discovered that most earbuds and in-ear monitors either lacked a consistent seal, induced pain, or didn’t stay put. So before tackling acoustics, we knew had to improve the fundamentals—comfort.

We partnered with the Indiana University School of Audiology and took countless physical molds of ear canals. Through that research we found one thing to be abundantly clear—ear canals are oval, not round. The entire headphone industry uses ear tips that don’t coincide with the natural shape of the ear.

Klipsch Oval Ear Tip Patent No.: US 7,681,577, March 23, 2010.

After designing our initial concepts of the oval ear tip, we took comfort level one step further. All of Klipsch’s competitors were using equal wall thicknesses throughout the entire mold, whereas we discovered that if the wall thickness decreased in specific areas we could achieve an even more universal fit.

We made our first patented oval ear tip in 2006 and quickly discovered we had something revolutionary in our hands. Not only were they more comfortable than round ear tips, they also provided a deeper fit and a very good seal. Compared to the average round ear-tip’s 0 dB of noise isolation, we were able to achieve -16 dB.

Immediately we noticed a further extended bass response and more high frequency detail. By modifying the size and shape of the tip, we had significantly improved acoustics through two means:

1. An earphone that went deeper into the ear canal achieved the perfect distance to the ear drum and preserved high-frequency information.

2. A great seal increased the bass response because sound pressure was no longer leaking like the round ear tip’s uneven contact with the ear canal.

And we didn't stop with just one design. In order to make the most comfortable in-ear headphone, Klipsch designed three standard oval ear tip sizes and two dual-flange sizes for those with deeper ear canals.

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